PHOTO - COPYRIGHT JOAN STREET
MIDSOMER MURDERS
BLOOD WEDDING
LAURA HOWARDS' FILMING MEMORIES
PHOTO - COPYRIGHT JOAN STREET
Walking down the aisle on the arm of her screen dad John Nettles was an emotional experience for bride Laura Howard.
"Although it's a film, everything has to be set up in just the same way as a real wedding - getting the dress fitted, choosing shoes and flowers, finding a church, inviting 100 guests and all the paraphernalia! It's a slightly strange experience for a woman who thinks about getting married one day, but it was all very good fun," she says.
I had a lovely dress - an ivory duchess satin strapless top with a champagne coloured sash around the middle and long skirt. It was really elegant with a veil and pretty tiara. I also had cream court shoes. The whole look was very simple and understated. Cully would never be in a meringue, even though Joyce might have liked that!
"John was serene and considerate on the day, not joking about at all. He would give me the odd wink every now and then, which was very reassuring. My hair had to be right and the flowers just so, and he was quietly supportive. We have all become close friends and it was quite emotional to be walking down the aisle with him!"
Laura was surrounded by a close-knit group on both sides of the camera.
"Jane Wymark who plays my mother Joyce looked gorgeous in a beautiful hat. I didn't see Jane much on the day, apart from when I get to the altar and there she is crying. Poor Jane had to do a lot of cry-acting that day!
"My bridesmaids were our producer Brian True-May's granddaughters, who were very well behaved. They were sweet and looked so pretty in their dresses. They walked down the aisle with me eight times and were totally unperturbed.
"It was also lovely to see Daniel Casey come back as a wedding guest as Cully and Troy did have a frisson at one time. I have always got on well with all Barnaby's sidekicks, on and off screen. It sounds naff but everyone from the drivers, to the camerman, the directors and all the actors is lovely. the series has a real family feeling."
Laura knew that Cully would be getting married before she had even met her husband-to-be.
"I was very excited when I was told there was going to be a wedding but the producer hadn't introduced Sam Hazeldine who plays Simon at that stage. It must be difficult for him to come in as a new semi-regular character when everyone knows each other so well. But he is so adorable and funny, he was a lovely man to marry!"
"It was good to get some longer scenes with John and Jane and some lengthier dialogue with Jason. Normally I get plot scenes so getting the script for Blood Wedding was great."
Adds Laura: "This episode has a slightly different Midsomer feel, particularly with the other wedding going on at the same time. There were lots of bad taste and more decadent outfits at the other wedding which is really over the top. I like to think we were not the poorer wedding, but the more elegant one."
Cully's plans to marry Simon hit a few hitches when Barnaby is called to investigate a murder at the wedding at stately Bledlow Hall. Cully and Simon also find that work gets in the way of their honeymoon plans and Joyce starts to panic when the caterers let them down at the last minute.
Says Laura: "As the wedding approaches there are lots of little crises but in the end it all turns out all right. Also, it was a lovely sunny day for my wedding and it only rained literally as we got into the church. Just as it should be in Midsomer!"